Embroidering-machine



(No Model.) 7 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. T. SMITH. 'EMBROIDBRING MACHINE. v

Mfr-577,411. Patented Feb. 7, 1888.

n. PETERS. Phnln-Lilhognyhcr, Washinglqn. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE i oswnLL T. SMITH, F NASHUA,NEW HAMPSHIRE.

EMBR OlDE RlNG-M ACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,411, dated February '1, 1888.

Application filed March 26, 1887. Serial 'No.,23 2,552. (No model.)-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROSWELL T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,rcsiding at Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, haveinvented certain new and same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that type of embroidering-machines in which the needles are passed alternate] y in opposite directions through the web upon which the design is worked, the entire range or series of needles being transferred from a traveling carriage upon one side of the web to asimilar carriage upon the opposite side. These carriages move. upon a railway, within which and transversely thereto the web is stretched upon a tambour frame, which is moved in different directions to give the proper formation to the stitch.. These carriages are drawn toward the tame bo ur-frame by weighted cords connected ,to

. each carriage, but their retrograde movement is derived from a pair of belts carried bysprockets upon a power-shaft'at one end of the rail way. These belts move freely through projecting brackets onthe needle-carriages,

but each one is provided with a boss or block tering it will form the ensuing stitch. The

penetrating ends of the needles are then grasped by the needle-jaws of the other carriage, and the operation is repeated and continued until the design is completed. I This isbriefly the construction and operation of machines of the Swiss type, commonly called the Heileman mamode of operation "has been adopted in many other machines of later date. f

It is evident that as theoperationof the me;-

they are consumed in the incorporation of the design in the web stretched upon the tambourmachine is not a constantquantity or factor,

the retrograde movements of the needle-carriages wilLconstantly decrease in extent, and

tension of the working-th reads throughout the be determined bythe threadtensionand must be automatic. Various ways have beenprople, in my applications for Letters Patent filed currently herewith and numbered. in ;serial versal by mechanism brought in action by closing an electric circuit, this being effected by the vibration of a tension-bar resting upon the working-threads in the onecase, and bythe the web in the other-case. V Whiletheeletric current thus applied produces excellent-repower is desirable, not only by reason of its keepingthe electrical contacts perfectly free from dust or'other foreign matterwhich might possibly cause them to fail in action.

therefore, to provide simple and comparatively inexpensive mechanism for effecting the automatic reversals of the railway in emstantly and with the same accuracy an'd un-i formityof thread-tension secured bythe elec tric'apparatus.

1 To this end my forth, and definitely pointed out in th following this specification.

chine, and substantially the same general process, the successive points of reversal must I I invention consistsinthe several novel features of construction an dgnew combinations of parts-hereinafter afully,set', I

laimsi -chine continues the threads carried by the needles are constantly decreasing in length as 4 frame; This decrease inthecommontype of since-but few ofthe stitches formed are of equal length, and'it'is evident, theref0r'e, that that, in order to reverse such movements at the proper instant, and at the sametime come pletel y form the stitch and preserve a uniform" posed for effecting this result-as, for.exam-' June 10, 1885', and July 9, 1886, pending con-u Y 168,237 and 207,609, in which I effect the revibration of a lever'caused by thetswaying of 7 economy alone, but-because of the necessityof It is the purpose of my'present invention,-

broidering-machines, which shall operatein- I Ico sults, the substitution of some lesseXpensive.

Referring to the drawings which accompany this application, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of part of an embroideringmachine illustrating my invention, those familiar portions of the mechanism not required being omitted. Fig. 2 is a plan view of apart of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section of the head of the needle-carriage, the arm, needlejaws, and needles being shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the bracket and valve shown in section in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4, showing the manner of operation. Fig. 6 is a detail of a portion of the plan view shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a view of a modi fied construction.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the frame of the embroideringmachine, which is of ordinary or any desired construction, and adapted to support the railway 2. Midway of the 1atter,or thereabout,is erected 'a frame, 3, within which the tambourframe receives support and adjustment by any suitable apparatus, but preferably by the automatic stitch adjustment covered by my pending application filed March 25,1887, and numbered in serial 232,375.

Upon the railway 2 are mounted needle-carriages 4, of any type, the form shown being substantially that adopted in my application filed July 9, 1886, Serial No. 207,609. Each of these carriages is drawn toward the web or tambour-frame by cords 5, running over pulleys on the frame and weighted, while the retrograde movement is produced by belts 6, driven by pulleys 7 on a shaft, 8, at one end of the railway, all of said parts being essentially similar to the corresponding features shown in my application last above men'- tioned.

Upon each needle-carriage 4 is a pivotal axis, 9, which carries the movable jaws of the needles. Upon said axis are pivotally mounted arms 10, curving over and in front of the needlerange, and supporting at their free extremities a tension-bar,11. In Fig. 5 I have shown the arms 10 as carried by a collar, 12, confined between two rigid collars, 13, which prevent lateral movement, but permit the arms to swing freely up and down. While this is a convenient form of a construction, any other giving a similar result may be used instead, the length and form of the arms 10 being such as to permit the tension-bars 11 to rest upon the threads 14 in about the position shown in Fig. 3.

Projecting from the carriage arm 4 is a bracket, 16, (shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4,) and depending from said bracket is a nipple, 17, adapted to receive the end of aflexible tube, 18. Communication is made through the bracket by an opening, 19, entering the,

nipple, which is closed by a valve, 20, swing ing upon a pivoted axis, 21, and normally shut by a spring, 22, the swing of the valve prodnced by the spring being limited by a stop, 23. In the end of the valve-plate is formed a notch, 24, and the end of the plate upon that side of the notch farthest from the stop 23 is beveled off, as shown at 25, Fig. 4. An elastic arm, 26, depending from the collar 12 of one of the tension-arms 10, and rigidly mounted on said collar, has a loose engagement with the notch 24, the construction being such that as the tension-bar 11 rises or vibrates forward under the tension of the threads 14 the valve will swing forward far enough to not only uncover the opening 19, but to draw the end of the arm 26 out of the notch 24, thereby permitting the valve to snap back into place unpurpose of'the bevel 25.

Upon the shaft 8,which drives the pulley 7, operating the railway-belts, are mounted two pulleys, 27 and 28, of equal diameter. These pulleys are loose upon the shaft 8, and are belted to the power-shaft in such manner that they revolve in'opposite directions, the connection shown being by a straight belt, 29',and a cross-belt, 30. Upon each pulley is a clutchbox, 31, and keyed to the shaft 8 are clutches 32, adapted to engage with the boxes 31 and lock either pulley 40 or 41 to the shaft. These clutches are thrown into and out of gear by clutch-levers 33, having-forked extremities 34, running in a channel, 35, in each clutch. The clutch levers are each fulcrumed upon a bracket, 36, mounted on the frame 1, and their lower ends have positive engagement with a reversing-bar, 37, whereby as one clutch is thrown into the other is simultaneously thrown out of engagement, thus releasing one of the pulleys 27 28 at the same instant that the other is locked to the shaft. The reversing-bar 37 may be pivotally connected to the ends of the clutch-levers 33, and thus be supported by them.

The clutch-levers 33 being thrown by the reversing-bar 37, it now becomes essential to impart the necessary longitudinal movement to this bar at proper times, and this I accomplish in the following manner: Upon any suitable supports, 38, are journaled two independent shafts, 39, upon each of which is keyed a pulley, one of said pulleys being designated by the numeral 40 and the other by the numeral 41. Both receive a like rotation by pulleys 42, belted to the power-shaft, and both revolve continuously. Underlying these pulleys are casings 43, which partly surround the periphery of each pulley, a suitable space being left between to admit an elastic belt, 44,

and permit it to leave the surface of the pulley. This belt nearly surrounds the bearingsurface on each pulley; but one end, 44, is unattached andis brought up in front of the revolving pulley, and at or near this extremity a cord or wire, 45, is attached, running over a friction-pulley, 46, and connected to a spring, 47. The belt from this point is led around the pulley 27 or 28 and carried over the free end 44 of said belt, a spring, 48, being connected thereto and to a bracket-base, 50.

At or near its extremity the belt 44 is con- 'der the tension of the spring 23, this being the nected with one arm, .49, of a bell-crank lever the arm. The other arm, 50, of said bellcrank engages a stud, 52, on the reversing-bar 37, which, by the swing of said arm, is thrown longitudinally to operate'the clutch-levers 33. A similar. connection is made from-the corre sponding arm, 49, of the other bell-crank, which may convenientlybe curved to pass the fulcrum of the other andsimilar lever, and the angular arm of said bell-crank has a like con nection with a stud, 52, on the reversing-bar. Belt-guides 53 may be placed on the casings 43, and in all essential respects the construction does not materially vary from the clutchpulleys shown and claimed in my application of July 9,1886, hereinbefore named, and in the application filed upon the 17th day of September, 1885, Serial No. 17 7,404, and renewed April 25, 1887, Serial No. 236,082.

It is the peculiar function of this apparatus that by creating even, a moderate frictional contact between the pulley and the free end 44 of the belt 44 astrong draft will instantly be produced at the other end, which will be continued 'aslong as the free end is pressed upon the revolving pulley. .The described construction and arrangement are the samein the case of the other pulley, and the operation thereof is, under like conditions, the same as that described. 7

Mounted upon a pivotal bearing, 54, is an arm, 55, in the end of which is journaled an idle-roll or 'frictionfroll, 56, the arrangement being such that said roll stands only a little below the free extremity 44 of the belt 44. This arm has belt-guides 57, and it is nor-1 mally impelled away from the end 44 of the 1 an exhausting-bellows of any construction, as

shown at 64. This bellowsisworkedbyasuitablecrank and pitman on the power-shaft, or it may be on a counter-shaft.

While the exhaustrpipe 63 communicates with the chamber 62 on one side of the pistonhead 61', an equilibrium is established by openings 64 in the piston-head of a size adapted to the exhaust of the pump or bellows 65; En-' tering the head of the cylinder 61, on the other side of the piston-head from the exit or exhaust opening leading, to the pipe 63,-is an opening, 66, which communicates with the pipe 18. I

It being remembered that the mechanism I last described is duplicated inconnection'with the other clutch-operating pulley 41 so far asthe vibrating arm 55, piston 59, andair-engine61 are concerned, the operation of the mechanism is as follows: As the needle-carriage 4 recedes from the web to the lengthof the threads, the vibration of the tension-bar 11 operates the valve and admits air to'the tube 18 through the opening 19. This at once.

destroys theequilibrium of atmospheric pressure upon both faces of the'piston-head 61, and.

the preponderating weight instantly drives the piston-head toward the exhaust-opening 63,

thereby actuating the piston 59 and throwing the idle-roll 56 against the end of the belt 44, producing an instantaneous and powerful draft on the said belt,'which instantlyoperates one of the bell-cranks 49 or 49and throws the reversing-bar 37, whereby the one pulley 27 is locked to the shaft and the other 28 released therefrom, or vice versa. sion-bar 11 swings the valve 20, the arm 26 passes out of the notch 24 in the end of the" valve, and the latter'instantly draws back to The tension-bar 11 place by the spring 22.

shortly afterward returns, and may at oncedo" so, the end of said arm riding over the bevel until it reaches the notch 24, when it snaps into engagement with the latter by the elasticity ot' the arm. The action of the pistonrod 59 effects, an instantaneous longitudinal movement of' the reversing-bar 37, byw'hich the clutch-levers 33 are both operated, the one to engage and the other to disengage the re- After thereversing-bar,

spective clutches 32. is once thrown in either direction it tends to As the tenremain in such position until positively actuated in the opposite direction, a sufficient frictional bearing being provided at the ful- ,crum 36 to hold each lev er in eit-herposition. I The action of the valve 20 on the needle-can riage beingpracticallyinstantaneous, the idleroll- 56on the vibrating rollcarr'ier 55'acts on) the belt 44 for a moment only, but this time 'is'amply sufficient to operate the corresponding bell-crank 49 or 49 and effect the reversal.

'As the valve 201310888 and restores the eq'ni- I librium of atmospheric pressure upon both n sides of the piston-head 61, the piston 59 is restored to its position by the spring 58. 'The instant that the end 44 of the belt is released from positive contact with the surface of the pulley the action of the spring 47 throws it off the revolving pulley and checks the draft on said beltsharply and suddenly byeffecting 1" The spring 48 then swings the bellcrank which has been actuated back to place.

Should the strain upon the belt 44 continue after reaching the maximum, the pulley 41,

its complete disengagement from the pulley.

carrying said belt, will. slip between friction disks 4l,which are keyed on the shaft 39 and j I forth in my prior applications referredito. This slip continues as long as the 'end' 44" of the belt is iu positive contact with the pulleyf clasp the flat facesof the pulley," as fullyset surface.

As the carriage approaches the web, it is necessary to raise the tension-bar 11 and throw it backward to allow the needles to pass through the fabric, and this is accomplished by a lift, 67, rigidly fastened on the collar 12, one at each end of the carriage. These lifts engage with pins 68, carried by bars 69 on the frame B, and these pins enter the ways or channels 70 in the lifts and turn the tensionbar entirely out of the way, restoring it to its position again as the carriage begins to recede from the web.

In order to apply the foregoing apparatus, twodistinet air-engines or exhaust-cylinders 61 are necessary, as already stated, each having a piston-rod, 59, operating on a separate roll-carrier, 55. I haveshown but one of these cylinders in Fig. 2, inasmuch as the other is an exact duplication in all respects of that shown.

The two clutching-pulleys 4.0 and 41 are essentially the same as the similar mechanism covered by my application filed July 9, 1886, No. 207,609, save that in place of throwing the roll-carrying lever 55 toward the pulley by the action of an energized GIGChI'ODlZIgDGU I employ the force produced by the exhaust, as described. As regards the mechanical results, the substitution of the pneumatic for the electric force is preferable both on account of economy and certainty of action, and it is in all important particulars equal to the electric devlccs.

The particular construction of the air-engine 61 and of the exhausting mechanism may be very considerably varied, since said parts may be either new or of known construction.

I may exhaust the chamber 62 by an ordinary blower or a cylinder-pump. I may also employ any form of valve mechanism, and may greatly modify the reversing mechanism shown. In short, my invention consists in the substitution of pneumatic in place of the electric energy for effecting the reversals of the railway, and not in any specific mechanism by which such substitution is effected.

It is apparent that the clutch-pulleys 41 might be dispensed with, if desired, and the pistonu'ods-of the air-engines connected to the reversing-bar 37 direct. The interposition of the clutch-pulleys between the air-engines and the reversing-levers is for the purpose of gaining power and securing the necessary action of the reversing devices with a very limited movement of the piston-head 61. With the clutch-pulleys a movement of barely the eighth of an inch will secure an instant response from the pulley, and the air-openings 64, as well as the conduits 18 and 63, may be of comparatively small size. This enables me to employ an exhaust of low power and to actuate the valves on the needle-carriages by a light tension of thread. J

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified arrangement by which the clutch-pulleys and clutching mechanism may be dispensed with. In this case I employ a simple belt-shifter, 71,

actuated by bell-cranks72 in such manner as to th row the shifterin opposite directions. The belt 73 is operated by runs over a loose pulley, 74, on each side of which is a wide pulley, 75, belted one by a straight and the other by a cross belt to the pulleys 76 on the railway-- shaft. By giving the belt 73 a rapid motion and making the pulleys 76 of sufiicient diameter to compensate for this increased speed this construction will be practicable. Thelevers 72 will be operated by the piston-rods 59 direct, though the clutch-pulleys 41 may be interposed, if desired.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In an embroideri ng-machine, the combination, with the needle-carriages and the mechanism whereby they are moved toward and from the web, of pneumatic devices controlled by the tension of the workingthreads by which the needle-carriages are reversed automatically, substantially as specified.

2. In an embroidering'machine, the combi- 3. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, with the needle-carriages and the mech anism by which they are caused to recede from the web, of devices by which said mechanism is reversed, a pneumatic exhaust-,and a valve mechanism on the needle-carriage operated by devices connected with the embroideringthreads, whereby the reversing devices are actuated, substantially as specified.

4. In an embroidering-machine, the combination,with the needle-carriages and the mechanism by which they are alternately moved from the web, of levers which actuate the reversing devices, a pneumatic engine consisting of a cylinder and a perforatedpiston moving therein, a flexible tubeconnection between the engine and the needle-carriage, and a valve actuated by the tension of the embroideringthreads to open said valve and admit air to the air-engine on one side of the piston-head, substantially as specified.

5. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, with needle-carriages which recede from the web alternately, and with traveling belts eifecting such movements, of oppositelyrevolving pulleys, by which revolution in opposite directions is given the shaft driving said belts, clutching mechanism whereby one of said pulleys is locked to as the other is unlocked from the shaft, cylinders having perforated piston-heads and piston-rods connected with the clutching mechanism, an exhaust for IIO 371,411 y T v each cylinder on one side of the piston-head,

an air-conduit entering the cylinder on the other side, and'a valve on the needle-carriage operated by the working-threads, whereby the equilibrium of atmospheric pressure is dis turbed and the reversing mechanism actuated, substantially as specified. v

6. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, with railway-belts and pulleys 'operating the same in opposite directions alternately, of devices whereby one of said pulleys is caused to act as the other ceases, an aircylinder having connection by its piston with said devices, means for exhausting the cylinder upon'one side of theperforated piston-head, an air-conduit entering the cylinder on the other side, and meansfor opening and closing said conduit controlled by the embroideringthreads, substantially as specified.

'7. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, with the needle-carriages and mechanism for moving said carriages from the web, of oppositely-revolving pulleys, by which the retrograde movement is arrested, clutches having simultaneous action, whereby one pulley is locked to as the other is unlocked from their shaft, air-cylinders having a continuous heads, means for exhausting from one side and giving aninterrupted air-supply on the other 5 side of said piston-heads, valves on the needlecarriages which control said supply, tension devices operating the valves, and intermittently-acting pulleys interposed between the air-cylinders and the clutch-levers, substantially as specified. i

9. In an embroidering-machine, the combination,with reversing mechanism by which the needle-carriages are caused to recede from the web, of air-cylinders having perforated pistonheads, an air-exhaust upon one side of said piston-heads, air-conduits entering the cylinders on the other side, valves mounted on thecarriages opening and closing the said conduits, tension-bars resting onthe working-threads,

and devices actuated by the riseof said bars to 7 open the valves, substantially as specified.

10. In an embroidering-machine, the combination, with alternately-operating air-engines which actuate'the railway-reversing devices, of air-conduits connected to the needle-carriages, springactuated valves closing the said conduits, and arms swung by the rise and fall of tension-bars resting onthe threads to open the valves, substantially as specified. I

11. In an embroidering-machine, thecombination, with mechanism reversing the railway, of air-cylinders having alternate action, perforated piston-heads moving in each cylinder,an

exhaust-passage on one side and a flexible airpipe mounted on each carriage and entering on the other side in each cylinder, a valve on each carriage closingfone of said pipes, tensionbars rising and falling with the threads, and flexible arms vibrated by said bars to open valve, substantially as specified.

. 12. In an embroidering-machine, the combi nation, with the needle carriages and the ten- I sion devices carried thereby, of the pivoted spring-actuated valve-plates, each having a notched and beveled end, an elastic arm car; ried by the tension device, andmeans for raising the latter as the carriages approach the web, substantiallyas specified. r

nation, with oppositely-revolving pulleys giving reverse revolution tothe railway-shaft, of clutches keyed to said shaft and having sin1u1- taneous opposite action, one looking and the other unlocking one of said pulleys, a reversin g-lever actuating said pulleys, intermittently acting pulleys reciprocating said lever, a'pneumatic engine effecting an operative engagement between each pulley and its'belt, and means for controlli ngthe action of said engines operated by the tension devices on the needlecarriages, substantially. as specified.

' 14. In an embroidering-machine,the combination, with the pneumatic cylinder, of the exhaust-pipe 63 and inlet 18 at opposite ends, the perforated piston-head, thepiston-rod, the

reversing devices operated thereby, the valve on the needle-carriage, and the tension-bar, substantially as specified.

15. In an embroideringmachine, the combination, with the aincylinder 61, having an air-' exhaust, 63,at one end and an air-inlet, 18, at

the other, of .the perforated piston-head 61, piston 69, roll-carrier 55, belt 44, pulley 4 1,

and spring-actuated valve 20, substantially as specified."

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

, BOSWELL T. Witnesses: 1 CHAS. B. TILDEN,

S. J. M. SMITH.

slur P P 7s f the J" I 13. In anembroidering-machine, thecombi 

